Epaulette Shark

Hemiscyllium ocellatum

About This Animal

DIET: Bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as worms, shrimp and shellfish

ON EXHIBIT: Stingray Bay in Ocean Journey

Epaulette sharks have nocturnal habits and frequent shallow water on coral reefs or in tidal pools. Like other sharks, female epaulette sharks do not provide care for their young. Epaulette sharks lay an average of four eggs over a month in tough, leathery egg cases. In approximately 130 days, the young sharks hatch. They are totally independent and ready to fend for themselves. Rather than swim, epaulette sharks "walk" by wriggling their bodies and pushing with their paired fins.

As with most sharks, they have very low reproductive rates and are vulnerable to population decline if overfished.